I'm SOOO tired and want to give up. I don't know where to turn...

[Singin4myJC]

Hello,

I'm 23 years old and feel like I'm 80. I'd like to sleep all day and could if I would. I seriously feel like something is wrong with me but I don't know what. I've researched my symptoms of:

- extreme tiredness/fatigue
- inability to loose weight
- super cold hands (sometimes feet)
- consipation
- dry skin
- inability to concentrate
- heavy periods
- moodiness
- mild depression (from not knowing how to cop with my tiredness)

I've been struggling with these sypmtoms for about 5 years and thought it was just my fault. I recently went to a doctor and had blood drawn and these were my results -- ALL NORMAL MIND YOU --

T4 Thyroxine, Free 1.0
TSH 1.13

My calcium cam back high so they took more blood and these were the tests results:

Parathyroid Hormone 19
Ionized Calcium 1.33

Both w/in normal range.

I don't know if I should go back and request an anti-body test or if that was done....? I almost want to skip going back to my GP and just search from an endocrinologist, but I don't want the tests to come back 'normal' again. My sister has hypothryroidism and my mom suffers from celiac disease, both of which are auto-immune. Am I crazy to think that I too could have something auto-immune going on? I just want answers. I'm 23 and am not living life because of this. I'm getting really sick of it ruling my life.

Please help me. I need to figure out what's wrong. I don't know who to see or what to do. Thank you.

- Singin..... tryin to

[krossie7]

Your symptoms sound pretty classic for hypothyroidism and I can imagine it is very frustrating for this to not show in the blood work. Personally I think I would track down an endocrinologist just to see what they think. You have it in your family and your symptoms so classic that don't feel embarrassed about trying to find out what is wrong. Also don't let drs treat the piece of paper that shows the results insist that they treat the person sitting in front of them and demand that they do what they can to find out what 'is' wrong if they say it isn't your thyroid. Best of luck.

[Singin4myJC]

Thanks Krossie for your reply.

I have good days and bad days. Most days I try to deal with the symptoms, this past weekend was frustrating. My constipation has been not so plesant. I tried a laxative and it was harsh!!! Won't be doing that again anytime soon. At least I'm not all binded up.


As far as an endocrinologist.....do you or anyone else who's reading this know how to find a good one? I tried to research some in my area or find one that specializes in thyroid issues, but couldn't find one that necessarily specialized. I don't want to, rather I don't have the money to just go to any old one and see them and if they aren't aggressive enough in helping me go to another because I don't have insurance.

My plan right now is to stick it out. Pay off my doctor visit from a couple months ago and see an endocrinologist after I finish w/the most recent bills.

I'd love to hear ideas or opnions on how to find a good endocrinologist though....

Thanks

- Singin

[Kiera]

Elevated levels of calcium can be an asymptomatic laboratory finding, but since it is often indicative of other diseases, you should insist that your doctor keeps looking for an answer if it persists. It can be due to excessive calcium release from the bones, increased calcium absorption in the intestines, or decreased calcium excretion by the kidneys. In other words it is never normal to have elevated levels of calcium in the body. The body is very good at regulating it.

Here are a few good links...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypercalcemia/DS00976
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypercalcaemia

Also you might want to google hypercalcaemia.

[T and G]

Don't give up! I have a load of info for you I just posted for Winterthyme.
Normal lab ranges are for damage/disease. You can still have a lower reading that can cause your symptoms! There are two easy home tests I can tell you about. Also have blood tests for T3 total, T3 free, Thyroid antibodies and Reverse T3.
Read this book: Living Well With Hypothyroidism What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need To Know by Mary J. Shomon.
My Chiropractor has helped me so much with this info.
The one good thing about having lower readings, is you can be treated with natural methods and not medication.
P.S. The symptoms you state can come from low thyroid. Fatigue is the
number one complaint.

[Rosebud]

Hi SfmJC

I see you over on the B12 board some. I'm sorry to hear you don't feel well. Even after a few months on the B12 protocol, I was still having problems, though all my thyroid numbers are "normal." Don't get me wrong. The b12 has helped a lot, but it is just part of the picture for me.

I found a doc who has prescribed natural T3 for me. I think I am seeing a little difference, but I am working my way up the doses, so this will take time. If money is an issue, maybe try to look at the list of docs at the about.com Thyroid website that Mary Shomon does. There might be a doc in your area who could help you feel better quickly.

Dr. Lowe's website is also very imformative.

Hang in there.
Rosebud

[lnh31]

Hello,

I'm 23 years old and feel like I'm 80. I'd like to sleep all day and could if I would. I seriously feel like something is wrong with me but I don't know what. I've researched my symptoms of:

- extreme tiredness/fatigue
- inability to loose weight
- super cold hands (sometimes feet)
- consipation
- dry skin
- inability to concentrate
- heavy periods
- moodiness
- mild depression (from not knowing how to cop with my tiredness)

I've been struggling with these sypmtoms for about 5 years and thought it was just my fault. I recently went to a doctor and had blood drawn and these were my results -- ALL NORMAL MIND YOU --

T4 Thyroxine, Free 1.0
TSH 1.13

My calcium cam back high so they took more blood and these were the tests results:

Parathyroid Hormone 19
Ionized Calcium 1.33

Both w/in normal range.

I don't know if I should go back and request an anti-body test or if that was done....? I almost want to skip going back to my GP and just search from an endocrinologist, but I don't want the tests to come back 'normal' again. My sister has hypothryroidism and my mom suffers from celiac disease, both of which are auto-immune. Am I crazy to think that I too could have something auto-immune going on? I just want answers. I'm 23 and am not living life because of this. I'm getting really sick of it ruling my life.

Please help me. I need to figure out what's wrong. I don't know who to see or what to do. Thank you.

- Singin..... tryin to

I am in the same boat! I know how you feel it is so frustrating to be this young and feel so old. And we look fine from the outside so people think that we are crazy. Here is my story maybe it will make you feel better knowing you are not alone or crazy! Take care!

I believe my symptoms started around age 8. Over a two year span I was seen by numerous doctors for knee pain (joint pain) and headaches. The only explanation my parents were given was growing pains.

At age 11 I was out of school for 5-6 weeks due to mono
All though high school I suffered from chronic fatigue, back pain, and it seemed that I was always sick. Although I have always been extremely smart, during high school I started noticing I was unable to focus on anything and often felt very ditsy. I was treated for depression and frequent UTIs. I don’t recall any other testing.

At age 17 I became pregnant with my oldest child on birth control. During pregnancy, I felt somewhat more energized and I was able to stay organized and had drive and energy to live life. Aside from typical pregnancy symptoms I felt somewhat normal.

Shortly after giving birth to my son, my symptoms came back tenfold. I started to experience extreme pain in my back and all over weakness and fatigue. After running some basic blood work I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and continued to have frequent UTIs.

I was given narcotic pain meds and anti depression medication to help with my symptoms but nothing ever helped. This continued for a couple years. I was unable to hold a job due to my daily struggles. My husband at the time was very unsupportive and told me that it was all in my head and that I needed to snap out of it and stop being lazy, which led to divorce.

While pregnant with my second child, again I felt much better.

Now 8 years after my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia I am taking a turn for the worse. My body is failing me more every day and I still have little answered. My ANA levels were abnormal in 2008 but now they are normal ruling out lupus, my Epstein Barr is positive, and my thyroid levels are normal.

Symptoms:

Fatigue
Joint Pain
Head Aches and migraines
Kidney pain
Frequent UTIs and other infections
Muscle Weakness
Low blood pressure
Sleeping 12-17 hours per day
Vision issues (delayed focus, twitching sensation)
Easily bruised
Sinus Pressure and face and jaw pain
Bloody mucus out of my nose dries and is very painful
Occasional rash (small scaly bumps over face and chest)
Memory Loss
Brain Fog
Slow speech (sometimes even slurred)
Dizzy
Black out upon standing
Sensitivity to cold

New Symptoms:

Pressure and Discomfort on lower left side of my neck with some swelling
Worsened headaches that never seem to go away
Worsened joint pain so severe that I have to wrap wrists and ankles with ace bandages for days at a time.
Loss of urine. I have actually peed my pants two times this week! And I am 26! I just got a sudden urge to go and didn’t make it in time. I couldn’t control it at all! Yuck!

I have been made to feel like I am crazy by my doctors and if it were not for my very supportive husband (married 2 years ago) I don’t know how I could even make it through a day.

My husband and I are very frustrated and on top of it all unable to get insurance due to pre existing conditions. So not only do the doctors think we are crazy but now they don’t want to treat me because I am not insured.
Our thoughts original following these new symptoms and the fact that i feel better during pregnancy were Thyroid disorder. But my doctor is saying that my thyroid levels are normal. When the Epstein Barr test came back positive it was a relief, hoping that it would explain all of my symptoms, but are finding that most of my symptoms don’t make sense. As bad as I want it to be something simple my heart tells me that it is not. After researching Epstein Barr, I have found that it is linked to some cancers such as nasopharyngeal cancer and other diseases. With Epstein Barr being the only thing I can go on or the only test that has some back positive I feel like this is the best place to start.

[Rosebud]

I am in the same boat! I know how you feel it is so frustrating to be this young and feel so old. And we look fine from the outside so people think that we are crazy. Here is my story maybe it will make you feel better knowing you are not alone or crazy! Take care!

I believe my symptoms started around age 8. Over a two year span I was seen by numerous doctors for knee pain (joint pain) and headaches. The only explanation my parents were given was growing pains.

At age 11 I was out of school for 5-6 weeks due to mono
All though high school I suffered from chronic fatigue, back pain, and it seemed that I was always sick. Although I have always been extremely smart, during high school I started noticing I was unable to focus on anything and often felt very ditsy. I was treated for depression and frequent UTIs. I don’t recall any other testing.

At age 17 I became pregnant with my oldest child on birth control. During pregnancy, I felt somewhat more energized and I was able to stay organized and had drive and energy to live life. Aside from typical pregnancy symptoms I felt somewhat normal.

Shortly after giving birth to my son, my symptoms came back tenfold. I started to experience extreme pain in my back and all over weakness and fatigue. After running some basic blood work I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and continued to have frequent UTIs.

I was given narcotic pain meds and anti depression medication to help with my symptoms but nothing ever helped. This continued for a couple years. I was unable to hold a job due to my daily struggles. My husband at the time was very unsupportive and told me that it was all in my head and that I needed to snap out of it and stop being lazy, which led to divorce.

While pregnant with my second child, again I felt much better.

Now 8 years after my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia I am taking a turn for the worse. My body is failing me more every day and I still have little answered. My ANA levels were abnormal in 2008 but now they are normal ruling out lupus, my Epstein Barr is positive, and my thyroid levels are normal.

Symptoms:

Fatigue
Joint Pain
Head Aches and migraines
Kidney pain
Frequent UTIs and other infections
Muscle Weakness
Low blood pressure
Sleeping 12-17 hours per day
Vision issues (delayed focus, twitching sensation)
Easily bruised
Sinus Pressure and face and jaw pain
Bloody mucus out of my nose dries and is very painful
Occasional rash (small scaly bumps over face and chest)
Memory Loss
Brain Fog
Slow speech (sometimes even slurred)
Dizzy
Black out upon standing
Sensitivity to cold

New Symptoms:

Pressure and Discomfort on lower left side of my neck with some swelling
Worsened headaches that never seem to go away
Worsened joint pain so severe that I have to wrap wrists and ankles with ace bandages for days at a time.
Loss of urine. I have actually peed my pants two times this week! And I am 26! I just got a sudden urge to go and didn’t make it in time. I couldn’t control it at all! Yuck!

I have been made to feel like I am crazy by my doctors and if it were not for my very supportive husband (married 2 years ago) I don’t know how I could even make it through a day.

My husband and I are very frustrated and on top of it all unable to get insurance due to pre existing conditions. So not only do the doctors think we are crazy but now they don’t want to treat me because I am not insured.
Our thoughts original following these new symptoms and the fact that i feel better during pregnancy were Thyroid disorder. But my doctor is saying that my thyroid levels are normal. When the Epstein Barr test came back positive it was a relief, hoping that it would explain all of my symptoms, but are finding that most of my symptoms don’t make sense. As bad as I want it to be something simple my heart tells me that it is not. After researching Epstein Barr, I have found that it is linked to some cancers such as nasopharyngeal cancer and other diseases. With Epstein Barr being the only thing I can go on or the only test that has some back positive I feel like this is the best place to start.

_________________

I have learned a LOT since my last visit to this thread!!

I found mold in my house, and am correcting it -- getting rid of it!

Mold can make you sick - It can deplete your B vitamins, it can suppress full proper thyroid activity (causes an increase in REVERSE T3, is my own theory, which is I guess, an emergency, body-reaction, metabolic slow-down to protect self kind of mechanism) -- Some call it Wilson's Syndrome, but that does not have a nailed-down cause.

I have been reading and using the work of a Ritchie Shoemaker, MD, regarding mold.

I still take my B-12 vites, and am starting back up on T3, but am no longer taking Wellbutrin. It made me rage-y and agitated with poor sleep.

I am taking cholestyramine to clear the mold toxins, and was taking more frequent doses as I was living in an active mold situation -- The mold is gone, still cleaning the air.

Look at:
the B12 thread on this website ---- Amazing people and research, some docs (treating themselves, not giving Doc advise), biochemists, statisticians, lots of folks in the medical field. Also, they are compassionate, and will NOT put you down because of your symptom profile. Many of us have arrived there confused, foggy, delicately sensitive to perceived insults, and though we have our bumps, most folks stick around. Every now and then a new person wants to get in word-fight barrage over semantics or clinical points, but we get over it, and the thread moves fast. If you have fewer than ten posts at WrongDiag, there will be a delay in your post appearing, as it has to be cleared by moderators. We do not moderate our own thread there. Google: "wrong diag b12" and it should be the first hit.

Start with B12, it can help your situation, even if it isn't the only thing you must look at.

Mold can mess you up!

BTW

[lnh31]

_________________

I have learned a LOT since my last visit to this thread!!

I found mold in my house, and am correcting it -- getting rid of it!

Mold can make you sick - It can deplete your B vitamins, it can suppress full proper thyroid activity (causes an increase in REVERSE T3, is my own theory, which is I guess, an emergency, body-reaction, metabolic slow-down to protect self kind of mechanism) -- Some call it Wilson's Syndrome, but that does not have a nailed-down cause.

I have been reading and using the work of a Ritchie Shoemaker, MD, regarding mold.

I still take my B-12 vites, and am starting back up on T3, but am no longer taking Wellbutrin. It made me rage-y and agitated with poor sleep.

I am taking cholestyramine to clear the mold toxins, and was taking more frequent doses as I was living in an active mold situation -- The mold is gone, still cleaning the air.

Look at:
the B12 thread on this website ---- Amazing people and research, some docs (treating themselves, not giving Doc advise), biochemists, statisticians, lots of folks in the medical field. Also, they are compassionate, and will NOT put you down because of your symptom profile. Many of us have arrived there confused, foggy, delicately sensitive to perceived insults, and though we have our bumps, most folks stick around. Every now and then a new person wants to get in word-fight barrage over semantics or clinical points, but we get over it, and the thread moves fast. If you have fewer than ten posts at WrongDiag, there will be a delay in your post appearing, as it has to be cleared by moderators. We do not moderate our own thread there. Google: "wrong diag b12" and it should be the first hit.

Start with B12, it can help your situation, even if it isn't the only thing you must look at.

Mold can mess you up!

BTW

How do you test for mold? We dont have much money right now. Can you get b12 shots online for cheap?